DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk NFL Draft 2026 Browns #9 pick Utah OT Spencer Fano

2023: Freshman All-American. Played in all 13 games with 12 starts (11 at LT, 1 at RT).
2024: Second-team Associated Press All-American. First-team All-Big 12 Conference. Started all 12 games at RT.
2025: First-team Associated Press All-American. Won the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman). Big 12 OL of the Year. First-team All-Big 12. Polynesian College Co-Player of the Year with USC WR Makai Lemon. Started 12 games at RT. Team captain.
Miscellaneous: Brother, Logan, was an All-Big 12 Edge at Utah and is also a prospect in the 2026 draft class. Uncles Gabe Reid (BYU), Spencer Reid (BYU), Teni Palepoi (Utah) and Anton Palepoi (UNLV) played college football and in the NFL.

2023: Freshman All-American. Played in all 13 games with 12 starts (11 at LT, 1 at RT).
2024: Second-team Associated Press All-American. First-team All-Big 12 Conference. Started all 12 games at RT.
2025: First-team Associated Press All-American. Won the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman). Big 12 OL of the Year. First-team All-Big 12. Polynesian College Co-Player of the Year with USC WR Makai Lemon. Started 12 games at RT. Team captain.
Miscellaneous: Brother, Logan, was an All-Big 12 Edge at Utah and is also a prospect in the 2026 draft class. Uncles Gabe Reid (BYU), Spencer Reid (BYU), Teni Palepoi (Utah) and Anton Palepoi (UNLV) played college football and in the NFL.

Fano is on Cleveland Browns Daily right now. He is going to be a fan favorite as long as he is at least above average. Easy to like off the jump. Good personality and says so many positive things. I have a feeling he is going to be a favorite in the locker room as well.

I listened the last time this FO said "tackles are tackles". My entire life before that I was taught and the evidence was obvious that you play your best and most talented OT on the left side unless you have a left handed QB. For some unexplained reason I allowed myself to have my mind changed the last time this happened and as it turned out "tackles weren't tackles".

When looking at the teams in the Big 12 I have no idea why people are so impressed with all of the Big 12 accolades and the most impressive award he received was the Outland Trophy which is for interior OL.

I get it, he's a jack of all trades OL player. Much like a Swiss Army Knife. I'm just not sure how that is going to transfer as a pure LT in the NFL. And if you give up the #9 pick for anything less than a LT I think you paid too much.

Like I stated above, I'm no NFL GM. I don't have their resources or their money. I don't claim to be an expert. But then truth be known neither is anyone else on this board.

At this point we just have to sit back and see how this all plays out. For everyone's sake I hope this FO is right about the LT position this time and I'm wrong. I was wrong right along with them last time.

Yep, he seems like he will follow Thomas and Bitonio in how the fan base will come to love him.

You forgot the caveat'. "as long as he is at least above average". The way this team has been assembled anyone who plays above average that doesn't have more than 26 women accusing them of sexual assault becomes a fan favorite. And who knows what will happen if he starts playing above average.

I think the "tackles are tackles" thing has been twisted into something it wasn't originally intended to be.

Wills had all the physical traits to be a starter-level LT in this league. And he was. He was good so long as he was mentally sharp/focused (which wasn't consistent enough).

I think the "tackles are tackles" thing comes from the thought that a guy can switch sides and be successful if he has the proper tools in his toolbox. Generally, having said tools puts you on the appropriate side of the line, but not always as is being alleged with Fano.

Let's let the dude at least take his first pro snap before calling him a bust.

I've tried to make it clear that I'm certainly no expert and I'm hoping I'm wrong. I won't write any of these players off as a bust until such time it seems clear they should be.

I was certainly not attempting to make any allegations in reference to him either. I simply feel in regards to LT's you need a specialist at the position and not a Swiss Army Knife type of player. While that may work in the Big 12 I'm not so sure how that will transfer to the NFL. But that's just my opinion going into this and nothing more.

Hopefully I'm wrong about that and am certainly open to happily admitting that if so.